Gosden Has Grounds For Concern

John Gosden cursed the unpredictability of Mother Nature ahead of Raven's Pass' quest to win the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

Thirty-five millimetres of rainfall on Tuesday night meant the official going at the Suffolk course was declared soft, much to Gosden's chagrin.

'We could have done without the rain,' said the trainer.

'When we worked on the ground last Sunday, Jimmy Fortune said it was on the slow side of good.

'Of course, it will dry and we are going to be on a fresh strip but we are looking at good to soft.

'It is autumn now and it's not going to dry out that fast.

'But Raven's Pass is in good form,' Gosden told www.newmarketracecourses.co.uk.

Raven's Pass, who has won his three races to date on fast or good ground, is Coral's 2-1 second-favourite for Saturday's Group One contest.

Despite his pre-race angst, Gosden will have been heartened to learn that conditions are not likely to be as testing by the weekend.

'We've had the rain, which was more than we anticipated, but the track has taken it very well,' said clerk of the course Michael Prosser.

'The forecast is for it to be dry from now until next week.

'Drying will be gradual at this time of the year but I expect the track to be good to soft on Saturday.'

Mick Channon also expressed concern about the ground for Hatta Fort, who will not run if it is soft.

The West Ilsley handler felt his Group Two-winning colt was unhappy on the trying Longchamp turf when he finished fourth to Rio De La Plata in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc day.

Channon said: 'There's no doubt he was hating the ground at Longchamp and I don't see any point on running him on it again.

'In the circumstances he ran a cracker and even though this looks the best colts race of the season, he won't be far away if he does take his chance.

'He's a fresh horse and his work has been of a consistently high level,' the trainer told www.mickchannon.tv.

Darley Dewhurst Stakes

Coral bet: 6-4 New Approach, 2-1 Raven's Pass, 9-2 Rio De La Plata, 7-1 Fast Company, 8-1 McCartney, 14-1 Moynahan, 20-1 Dark Angel, Luck Money, 40-1 Hatta Fort, 50-1 Bar.

(C) PA Sport